


Happy Endings

by scheherazade



Category: Tennis RPF
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-04-27
Updated: 2009-04-27
Packaged: 2017-10-14 20:51:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 447
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/153339
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/scheherazade/pseuds/scheherazade
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He finds out in the papers the next morning.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Happy Endings

With the baby, at least, there is some warning, if only because it isn't all that easy to hide a pregnancy, especially as the months wear on and Mirka starts getting creative with her wardrobe choices.

Roger sends him a text message, to officially break the news, just before making the public announcement on his website. That counts for something, even if Stan doesn't notice the text until afterwards―after he gets a call from Andy Murray, "Have you heard? Roger Federer is going to be a dad!"

Stan doesn't ask the Scot why he's stalking Roger's personal life. Or his website. Stan likes Andy well enough, but that doesn't mean he wants to know. Ever.

He calls Roger instead, congratulates him and Mirka, and manages to sound (almost) sincere.

Maybe Roger notices; maybe he doesn't.

Either way, Stan figures that the marriage can't be far off now. He tries practicing saying, "Congratulations," and "I'm happy for you," in his head. But he can't get the tone quite right, no matter how often he repeats the words to himself.

So March comes and goes, and April rolls in with storm and sunshine, making way for summer. Easter weekend dawns clear and calm. Someone has left a newspaper at the breakfast table, and Stan glances at it while pouring milk into his cereal.

He nearly spills it all over the table instead when he catches sight of an article―more of a blurb, really―tucked away in a corner of the page.

Mr. and Mrs. Federer.

They got married. Without telling anyone.

Putting the milk carton down, Stan pulls out his cell phone, telling himself he just wants to know, that's all. He just wants to know, to see if maybe...just maybe...

There was never a call.

He puts the phone away, picks up the newspaper again, feeling oddly calm as he reads―and then re-reads―the article. The wedding was yesterday, in Basel. A very small private ceremony. Of course. They would want to keep it a quiet affair, keep it secret. Of course, they couldn't tell anyone, except for close friends and family.

Of course, Stan is neither of the above. He just plays tennis. Of course. It all makes sense.

What doesn't make sense is the thought running through his head: _I would have told him, "I'm happy for you."_

Because he is, isn't he? Roger has finally married the woman he loves. They're going to have a baby, start a family like they've always wanted to.

Why on earth wouldn't Stan be happy for them?

 _Congratulations._

 _I'm happy for you―_

―except those words still don't sound right.

(He wonders if they ever will.)


End file.
